A MONSIEUR MONSIEUR KLOPSTOCK.

April 2, 1761. My much valued and dear Sir, (The beginning speaks of EBERT, whofe well tranflated YOUNG, and of the family of STOLLBERG, to which Germany is at prefent indebted for its fraternal Poets, who prove that we may be brothers by affection and by genius, as well as by nature.)

AS for yourself, dear Sir, I thank you

for the melancholy yet pleasing fight of your dear wife's monument. I read in it the Chriftian character of her hufband. Its laft word was the common falutation of the primitive Chriftians when they met each other, RESURREXIT. Should not our hearts burn within us

at the bleffed found? That word carries in it all our hope and joy. We shall foon bury all our other hope and joy, never to rife again. And shall beings that have no end, prize any thing that

has? Chrift is indeed the Truth, and the World a Lie. Infidels believe it, and are undone.

I love your faith and virtue, I admire your genius, I deplore your lofs, I pity your diftrefs, I pray for your profperity,

and shall be ever proud of your com

mands; being moft cordially, as is my and your good friend Mr. Richardson, My dear Sir,

Your moft obedient,
and moft humble fervant,
E. YOUNG.

Hagley, November 24, 1731.

DEAR SIR,

THE approbation you exprefs of my verses, and the praise you fo kindly bestow upon me, cannot but be extremely. pleafing to me; as they are the effects of a friendship upon which I fet fo high a value. When I fent my Paitorals to Mr. Pope, I defired him to make any corrections in them that he fhould judge proper; and accordingly he has favoured me, with fome alterations, which I beg you will give yourself the trouble to infert in your Copy.

At the end of the firft S. after this line, When now the setting Sun lefs fiercely burn'd, be pleafed to add the following: Blue vapours rofe along the mazy rills, And light's last blushes ting'd the diftant hills. In the fecond, read the following lines

thus:

Aufpicious Pan! the Monarch of the Plain, Shall come a fuitor for his fav'rite swain ; For him, their lov'd Musician, every fawn; For him, each blooming fister of the lawn,

In the third, instead of
And fills with frantic pain,

And blackens each fair image in our breast.
Again, instead of the

He pleas'd you by not studying, &c.
He pleas'd, because he studied not to please.
Perhaps too the verfe would run better,
if, instead of

A Town with spiry towers is crown'd,
you were to put

but then the word is, is understood. -with fpiry turrets crown'd;

I don't know whether you won't have reafon to think I am too much concerned about thefe trifles, by my giving you the trouble to alter them; but I would have them appear in as good a dress as poffible, for fear of their being a difgrace to the perfons I have addreffed them to. My father and mother defire their compli ments. I am, with great respect and truth,

Your moft obedient humble fervant,
G. LYTTELTON.

AU.

IT efcaped me to mention, in a former Addrefs (as I intended), having feen two Maratta women, one about 20, and the other not 30 years old. perform the aftonishing ceremony of Sutee, or devoting themfelves to the flames, on receiving the news of the deaths of their hufbands, who died in the army of the diforder then raging in it, and who were in very humble ftations; fo that the powerful impreffion of grief for the lofs of a dear friend prefent to the fenfes, or the powerful impulfe of family pride, cannot have precipitated them to fo inconceivable a pitch of enthusiasm.

This horrid and aftonishing act is performed by the Maratta women by throwing themselves headlong into a pit about fourteen feet deep, about four of which are filled up with the burning remains of a large quantity of wood, previously put in, and reduced to a fierce fire of embers, for the reception of the victims ; and, on her precipitating herself into it, after going through various preparatory ceremonies of bathing, circumambulating the pit, &c. large quantities of straw, oil, wood, and other inflammable materials, are thrown on her. At the fame inftant, a great clamour is raised by the populace; which, joined to the found of trumpets, drums, and the barbarous mufic which accompanied the proceffion to the fatal fpot, effectually drowns the fhrieks of the expiring devotee.

The two in queftion, who seem to have been clofely connected in the bonds of private friendship, threw themselves at the fame moment into two pits dug for them close to each other.

The method obferved by the Bramin women is different: an apartment is made in the funeral pile, in which the body of the deceafed is depofited, and into which the victim enters (after performing the requifite ceremonies of ablution, &c.) through a mall aperture left for the purpose. The beams which fupport the upper part of the pile are then let down, and at the fame moment the combustible materials, with which the cellar is fitted, are fet fire to.

Several of these melancholy and inconceivable instances of the strength and VOL. XXXII. JULY 1797.

weakness of the human mind have happened during my reficence here and in other places; but the one above described is the firft I ever faw, which happened on the 26th of March last, close to my tents, where I am forry to find I am likely to be an involuntary fpectator of many more; being at the conflux of two rivers, a circumftance grateful to the prejudices of thefe people, in performing the purifications requifite to fuch acts,

and their funeral rites.

This evening, about five, I was haftily called to be a fpectator of the shocking ceremony of felf-devotion, fometimes practifed among the Bramin females on the death of their husbands.

Soon after I and my conductor had quitted the Houfe, we were informed the Suttee (for that is the name given to the perfon who fo devotes herfelf) had paffed, and her track was marked by the Goolol and Beetle leaf which he had fcattered as fhe went along. She had reached the Moolah, which runs clofe under town, before we arrived; and, having performed her laft ablutions, was fitting at the water's edge. Over her head was held a punker; an attendant fanned her with a waving handkerchief; and the was furrounded by her relations, a few friends, and fome chofen Bramins; the populace being kept aloof by a guard from Government. In this fituation, I learn from good authority, she distributed among the Bramins two thousand rupees, and the jewels with which she came de corated; referving only, as is usual on thefe occafions, a fmall ornament in her nofe, called mootee (perhaps from a pearl or two on it), and a bracelet of plain gold on each wrift. From her posture, I could fee only her hands; which, with the palms joined, rofe above her head in an attitude of invocation. Quitting therefore this poft, I removed to an eminence that gave me an opportunity of obferving the conftruction of the funeral pile, and commanded the path-way, by which I understood she would approach it.

The fpot chofen for its erection was about forty paces from the river, and directly fronting the Suttee. When I C

came

came up, the frame only was fixed: it confifted of four uprights, each about ten feet high; they food rather more than nine feet afunder lengthwife, and under fix in breadth. Soon after, by ropes faftened near the top of the uprights, was fufpended a roof of rafters; and on it again, heaped as many billets as it would bear. Beneath arofe a pile of more substantial timbers, to the height of about four feet, which was covered over with dry straw and bufhes of a fragrant and facred shrub, called tootfee: the fides and one end being then filled up with the fame materials, the other extremity was left open as an entrance. The melancholy bower completed, the Lady got up and walked forward unfupported amidit her friends: fhe approached the door-way; and then, having paid certain devotions, retired a few yards 'afide, and was encircled as before. The dead body was brought from the Bank (where it had hitherto remained, close to the place the Suttee lately fat on), was laid upon the pile, and with it several fweetmeats, and a paper bag containing either flour or duft of fandal. The widow arofe, and walked three times flowly round the pile; then feating herfelf oppofite the entrance, on a small fquare ftone conftantly used in fuch cafes, on which two feet were rudely ftretched, the received and returned the endearments of her companions with great ferenity. This over, he again ftood up; and having ftroaked her right hand, in the fondeft manner, over the heads of a favoured few, gently inclining her perfon towards them, the let her arms fall round their necks in a faint embrace, and turned from them. Now with her hands, indeed, upheld to Heaven, but with her poor eyes caft in a glare of total abAtraction deep into the den of anguish that awaited her, fhe ftopped awhile a piteous ftatue! At length, without altering a feature, or the least agitation of her frame, fhe afcended the door-way unaffifted; and, laying down befide her hufband's corpfe, gave herself, in the meridian of health and beauty, a victim to a barbarous and cruelly confecrated error of mifguided faith. As foon as fhe' entered, he was hid from view by bundles of ftraw, with which the aperture was closed up, and all the actors in

this tragic fcene feemed to vie with each other who fhould be most forward in hurrying it to a conclufion. At once, fome darkened the air with a cloud of Goolol; fome, darting their hatchets at the fufpending cords, felled the laden roof upon her; and others rushed eagerly forward to apply the fatal torch! Happily, in this moment of infufferable agony, when the mind must have loft her dominion, and the ear expected to be pierced by the unavailing cries of nature, the welcome din of the trumpet broke forth from every quarter.

When the conflagration took place, and not till then, it was fed for a time with large quantities of ghee, thrown by the nearest akin; but, except the tootfee and ftraw before mentioned, no combustible whatever, that I either faw or could learn, was used in preparing the pile. It is faid to be the custom, that as the Suttee afcends the pile, fhe is furnifhed with a lighted taper, to fet fire to it herself; and my companion, who was a Bramin, afferted that in this instance it was the cafe: but I traced the whole progrefs of the ceremonies with fo clofe and eager an attention, that I think I may fafely contradict him.

As curiolity may be excited to know fomething of the fubject of this terrible, though here not uncommon immolation, I have collected the following particulars :

The Lady's name was Toolfeboy, her husband's Ragaboy Tauntee. He was about thirty years old, and nephew to Junaboy Daddah, a perfon of distinction in this place: a little girl about four years of age, the fruit of their union, furvives them. Toolfeboy was nineteen, her ftature above the middle standard, her form elegant, and her features interefting and expreffive; her eyes, in particular, large, bold, and commanding. At the folemn moment in which alone I faw her, these beauties were eminently confpicuous; notwithstanding her face was difcoloured with turmerick, her hair dishevelled and wildly ornamented with flowers, and her looks, as they forcibly truck me throughout the ceremony, like those of one whose senses wandered or, to come nearer the impreffion, whofe foul was already fleeting, and in a itate of half feparation from the body.

TWO

DEAR SAM!

YOUR long expected letter has at length arrived without date. You mention in it that it was writ the post after Mr. Sheen's, but by fome strange fatality it has been fix weeks longer in its paffage. I own your long filence aftonifhed me, and raised in me many mortifying reflections. The general neglect which I experienced from all quarters in my diftreft fituation, created in me fuch an apathy for all the affairs of this life, that Î was almost brought to wish to pass the rest of my days Oblitufque meorum, oblivifcendus et illis. But your laft has fhewn me that friendfhip is not wholly banished from the earth. I find that it is to your care folely I am indebted for the turn my affairs have taken, and it pleased me the more, as you are the only perfon living to whom I would wish to owe fuch an obligation. Your filence during the transaction carries its excufe with it. It was better on every account that the attempt fhould be made without my privity. And to deal ingenuoufly with you, had you confulted me, I should never have confented to it. But as the thing has paffed with fo much credit to me, the whole honour and merit of it is yours. What I mentioned in a former, relative to an act of Parliament, had no reference to any fuch act to be made in Ireland, of which I had not the leaft idea, but to an English act paffed the feffions before for the relief of infolvent debtors, with the nature of which I defired to be made acquainted. . . You have not made me acquainted with the circumstances of the act, in which, through your friendly and difinterested exertions, I am concerned; nor mentioned the time that it will be proper for me to go to Ireland. I fhould be glad you would take the first opportunity of conveying a copy of the act to Mr. Chamberlaine, because there are fome points on which I would take advice in London, before my fetting out for Dublin. And now, my dear SAM! I must tell you, that without your farther affiftance it will be impoffible for me to reap the benefit of what you have done From the perpetual fluctuation in the Ministry, the payments are no longer punctual at the Treasury. There is now due to me a year of my penfion; and at the moment I am writing to you

for me.

I am reduced to my laft Louis. I had relied upon receiving about fifty pound from Sheen for the books, and a year's rent of a certain farm at Quilca. But this I find, without any notice given me, has been foreftalled, and Sheen writes me word that he has not a fhilling to spare. I had before applied to fome friends in England, who had made large profeffions to me; but I find, by an obitinate filence on their part, that nothing is to be expected from them. My fole reliance at preient is upon you; nor fhould I have the least doubt on me, if your abilities were equal to your good will. But I muft conjure you, by all that is facred in friendship, to raife a hundred pounds for me, as fpeedily as you can, and convey it to William Whately, Efq. Banker in London, for my uie; on the receipt of which I will immediately fet out for England in my way to Dublin. Mrs, Sheridan and the Children will continue in France, till my affairs are fettled; and after that you may rely upon it that this is the first debt I fhall think myself bound to difcharge. I need not fay more upon this head; I am fure your utmost endeavours will not be wanting to ferve me in this exigence, and to complete what you have fo well begun.

And now I mult give you fome account of what we have been doing fince our arrival at Blois. I have long fince finished the Dictionary, and have got together the greatest part of the materials for the Grammar, which only want being reduced into order. I have likewife almost finished a volume of Dialogues on the English Language, to ferve as a preparative for the other work. The more I reflect on the general ufe which must be made of this work wherever English is taught, the more I am convinced that the profits of it will be confiderable; and that if I keep the right of the Copy to myfelf (which is my defign) it will be an eftate to my family. I have finished a Grammar too in English and French, for the ufe of all foreigners who underftand French, that are defirous of attaining a knowledge of the English tongue by an easy and fhort method. I have alfo drawn up a Grammar in English to facilitate the attainment of the French tongue to all who speak English. A work much wanted, and which I began at firft for the ufe of my children, upon finding the great imperfection of all

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hitherto